Seoul Court Acquits Kim Gun-hee on Stock Charges, Sentences Her to 20 Months for Corruption

The live first-instance ruling was televised in a first for a former first lady.

Overview

Judges found Kim Gun-hee guilty of violating anti-corruption law for accepting bags and jewelry worth 80 million won from the Unification Church.
She was cleared of alleged Deutsche Motors share manipulation, with 2010–2011 counts time-barred and remaining allegations deemed unproven.
The court also found no offense in accusations tied to free opinion polls related to election activities.
She has been held since August, and the case can proceed to appeal within South Korea’s three-tier criminal system.
Special prosecutors led by Min Jung-gi had sought a 15-year prison term in a request filed in December 2025.